To Save A Life
by BlueIV
Summary: Natsuki is a Jew. Shizuru is a Nazi. Love can't possibly exist between the two. Especially at a time when Jews are being executed by the millions in what will go down in history as, 'The Holocaust'. Eventual Shiznat.
1. They Came for the Jews

**To Save A Life  
**--_Blue IV_

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**

* * *

**

_First they came for the Jews  
and I did not speak out  
because I was not a Jew.  
Then they came for the Communists  
and I did not speak out  
because I was not a Communist.  
Then they came for the trade unionists  
and I did not speak out  
because I was not a trade unionist.  
Then they came for me  
and there was no one left  
to speak out for me._

--Pastor Niemoller

* * *

A few pale stars were beginning to show. Another day had faded and, with it, another strand of hope. As the shadows settled over the ghetto, Natsuki Kruger watched from the attic window. Every so often, she would glance outside. The street below had been empty until she caught sight of an old woman hurrying through the dark, bent over as if a weight had been placed on her frail shoulders. Noting the position of the stars, Natsuki could tell it was almost ten o'clock. Mama would return from work soon.

She heard light footsteps pounding against the stairs before a small girl with honey-colored hair and bright blue eyes threw open the door. The young girl's face brightened when her gaze landed on the outline of her eldest sister against the backdrop of the night sky.

"You shouldn't over do it," a deep, husky voice rose from the dark. "This is your first day out of bed in a week."

"You worry too much, Suki," the young girl pouted, her round cheeks puffing out cutely.

Natsuki turned back to the view outside her window and put her hand up to the glass. It felt cool to the touch. The glass was stained and cracked, but through it she could see nearly three blocks of Otome Street which ran at an angle through the middle of the ghetto. It was a bitter evening, and the streets were iced over. Although she couldn't see him, Natsuki knew that at the end of the street a German soldier patrolled the fence that marked the boundary of the ghetto; where the entire population of two cities had been forced into a few square blocks.

"Where is Nao?" the tiny girl asked as she placed herself next to her sibling, her tiny hand reaching out and grabbing onto the hem of her shirt in the process.

"Probably out with those boys, Alyssa," Natsuki explained, frowning at the thought. She had witnessed the boys Nao—her only other sibling—liked to spend her time with. Just the other day she had seen the group of teenagers running through the midday crowd, shouting and tossing a hat back and forth. "She better be getting back soon. I'm not going to defend her like I did before when she came home too late and upset Mama."

And, with impeccable timing, the street door creaked open and loud cursing could be heard in the entry. A loud chortle escaped Alyssa as she started down the stairs. Natsuki stood up from the window ledge, rolling her shoulders in an attempt to ease the ever-present ache in her lower back. The raven-haired girl went to straighten Nao's quilts, which lay in a heap on the floor where the two slept. She shook them out and began to make an improvised bed when the house's other two occupants made themselves known.

"Damn winter," Nao grunted as she removed the sweater Mama made for her last winter, using wool from an old blanket of Papa's. Papa had died during the influenza epidemic before Alyssa was born, but sometimes Natsuki thought she could still catch a faint trace of her father's smell in the woven fabric.

The raven-haired sibling cut the weather-worn teen a sharp glance. "What'd I tell you about that mouth of yours?" she reprimanded. Her dark green eyes held no room for argument.

Nao sighed her consent, even though Natsuki knew the red-head was ready to retort. Ignoring the look her older sister continued to hold her with, Nao hugged the sweater to her chest and slumped lazily down on her make-shift bed. She ran her fingers through her wind-blown hair, trying to ease out some of the tangles. Alyssa joined her and stared up curiously at the lime green eyes that watched her get comfortable.

"How you doing Kid-O?" Nao asked the young child. "Feeling any better?"

Alyssa's frequent colds and coughs were often the cause of her worries. She'd get high fevers and shortness of breath more often than not. It was troubling. The red-head wrapped her sweater around her sister's lanky shoulders. The blonde pulled the edges of the sweater closed around her thin body and resting her head on Nao's shoulder as she babbled about her day.

Natsuki made her own self comfortable as she settled down on her own pallet across the room, faintly listening to her sister talking. Soon the loud talking of her youngest sibling died down and was replaced by soft snores.

Outside, the moon was hidden behind dark clouds, ushering the room into complete darkness. The raven-haired girl could fairly make out the shadow that was her green-eyed sister propped up against the wall, her arms crossed against her chest.

Suddenly, the silence was broken.

"Did you hear about the raid yesterday?" Nao asked, her voice soft so as not to disturb the sleeping girl beside her, but Natsuki could still hear the obvious anger that leaked out. "The German soldiers just started taking people from their homes, rounding them up and forcing them into these trucks. They were carted off. Takeda says that they took them to these labor camps the Germans have set up all around the country. And that—"

"Takeda says a lot. I can't believe you'd even listen to that idiot," Natsuki growled, efficiently cutting off Nao's speech.

Natsuki could feel the tension in the air and knew that the red-head was glaring holes into her. The silence was thick with irritation. It lasted so long that Natsuki was beginning to think that Nao had fallen asleep, but that was proved wrong when she heard a whisper reach her ears.

"The Tokiha's were taken."

The raven-haired girl's heart faltered at those words. Mai Tokiha was her best friend. They had grown up together and at school were classified as inseparable. No one could imagine bumping into one without the other.

'_It's not true. Nao is just trying to get at you, that's all. There's absolutely no way that that actually happened,'_ a voice at the back of her head reassured her. But it still didn't ease her racing heart or trembling fingers.

Another silence engulfed the room before Nao could be heard shifting to lie down next to the still-sleeping Alyssa. It wasn't long before the red-head's breathing became even and slow, signaling that she was also slumbering soundly. But Natsuki couldn't sleep. Her mind kept pondering at the thought of what her sister had said. Not only that, but also her mother wasn't back from work yet and it was long past ten o'clock. The Nazis had assigned her Mama to a job as a local doctor—without pay, since she was a Jew—working for the German army. It wasn't the first time her mother had stayed at the hospital late into the night, but Natsuki couldn't help but worry.

A feeling of dread had begun to eat away at her insides and settled deep into her bones. It coiled its way along her throat, making it tighten with fear. _'I'm not going to get any sleep tonight.'_

Despite that thought, another hour had made her eyelids droop heavily over her emerald eyes. Before she completely succumbed to the distant call of sleep, she glanced at the yellow felt star pinned to her shirt just above heart. _JUDE, _Jew, was printed across the star in black lettering like a scar.

* * *

The three girls were startled awake by a deafening pounding on the street door. Instantly Natsuki froze, alert to every movement and sound. She scrambled out of bed when she heard harsh yelling from below that was unmistakable German. Before she had reached her frightened sisters, a sharp crack of wood splintering could be heard. She was nearly unable to breath has fear seized her at the sound of boots thundered up the stairs. The door leading to the attic was knocked off its hinges easily by a broad man.

It all happened so fast.

There was a lot of shouting as two soldiers ran for her. Natsuki stared at them without moving, as if she had been turned to stone. They seized her roughly by the arms. Before she knew what was happening, she was being half-dragged out of the room.

She could faintly hear her sisters screaming their refusal and a lot of scuffling as they too were beginning to be dragged down the stairs.

Natsuki finally snapped out of her daze and began to struggle against the soldiers' hold. She tried in vain to pull her arms from the men's tight grasps. The butt of a rifle came down hard on her back, knocking her legs out from under her as she went flying forward. It seemed the Germans holding her had indeed let go, only for her to realize the reason before it was too late.

The momentum of the strike pushed her forward and she fell down the stairs, hitting every step on the way down. She barely had a chance to lay there at the bottom before she was roughly grabbed once again and pulled out of her home. She could feel the blood pouring down her cheek and flowing into her mouth; the iron tang of it making her nauseous.

The street outside was in chaos. German army trucks were everywhere. People backed away; mothers lifting their children into their arms, waiting. Suddenly, soldiers jumped from the trucks and began to seize everyone in sight, forcing them into the trucks at gunpoint. Pandemonium broke out at once as everyone raced toward the nearest building or alley, anywhere out of reach of the soldiers. Cries of '_Hurry!' _and '_Get off the street!'_ were heard. Natsuki looked frantically for her sisters as men, women, and children ran past her, screaming and trampling over one another in desperation.

The soldiers shoved Natsuki into the back of a truck along with her two siblings then slammed the door, blocking their escape. Within seconds, the door was reopened and another person was thrown in. This cycle continued until Natsuki was pressed up against the wall, one arm around Nao and Alyssa pressed firmly into her side. She began to wish she could shift and remove her extra layers of clothing but there were so many people crammed tightly into the truck.

A few minutes later the truck purred to life before lurching forward.

Her skin prickled from the heat, as she listened to the cries of women and children and the fevered whisper of prayers. Alyssa was among the ones who cried. The beaten girl wanted to whisper words of comfort to her youngest sibling, but her head hurt too badly from falling down the stairs.

It seemed like days before the light of day leaked in through the windows of the truck. Her tongue already felt thick and dry and her parched throat cried out for water. She turned as much as she could to look around the car. She saw many people she knew. Her eyes finally found the face of her red-headed sister. A bruise dominated most of the right side of her face and her eye was swollen shut. Natsuki had to look away.

It grew hotter as the sun beat down on the truck and poured through the windows, which were locked and barred like windows in a prison. As the heat increased, so did the smell of urine as people began to relieve themselves. The truck stopped frequently and each time some of the Jews would beg for water, food, or fresh air but their requests went unheard.

They traveled through the night. At one of the stops a soldier brought a pail of water. As soon as he left, dozens of hands rushed out at the pail; precious water spilled on the floor as they fought each other for a drink. Finally, a voice of reason rang out. The booming voice instructed that one person got one swallow of water. The sisters were in the back of the truck, so by the time the pail got to them, the supply was scarce. Nao got the first share. She tipped the pail back, careful not to let a drop of it escape. She passed it to Natsuki and she gripped the lifeline tightly. As the first drops came in contact with her cracked and bleeding lips, the feeling was magnificent. Water filled her mouth and she swished it around lovingly. She had never tasted anything so great. Then, she swallowed and the coolness of it traveling down her throat provided a moment of great pleasure.

Greed attacked her but she pushed it back to the darkest recesses of her mind. Alyssa's baby blues looked desperate as she eyed the prize, her arms reaching eagerly for the pail. The young girl got her share then passed it on to the next person in line.

Now, in the hot, crowded truck, Natsuki prayed silently that God would keep her family safe. She leaned her aching head against the wall of the truck, trying not to think what might be awaiting them at their unknown destination.

* * *

**As you can see, I basically started the entire story over. During AP Goverment class, I had an epiphany. So, I decided to change the whole thing and, don't worry, it'll be better than I originally planned. Also, I was having a little conflict with the names in this story. Sunrise's character names are so blantantly Japanese and this story obviously isn't taking place in Japan. So, my question to you, faithful readers, should I change their names up? I'm pretty sure that if I do my homework, I'll be able to find Jewish names that are relatively close to their original names. So, let me know what you think. **

**--BlueIV**


	2. Did Not Manage to Save

*****ATTENTION!: ****Okay, so if you didn't get the memo, go back and read the first chapter, if you read the chapter when it was in 'first person'. I restarted the entire story.*****

**To Save A Life  
**_--BlueIV_

* * *

**Chapter 2**

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**

_I did not manage to save  
a single life_

__

I did not know how to stop  
a single bullet

And I wander round cemeteries  
which are not there

I look for words  
which are not there  
I run

to help where no one called  
to rescue after the event

I want to be on time  
even if I am too late

--Jerzy Ficowski

* * *

Halfway through what seemed like the third day, the truck stopped in a thick stand of fir trees. The door opened with a loud metallic clang and the German soldiers were firing off commands and removing people from the truck. With every limb stiff and aching, Natsuki stumbled down a steep embankment to join the others who had gotten off before her. She assessed her soundings, trying to pinpoint their location from memory, but all she saw was a dirt path leading into the trees.

Alyssa clung to her liked a frightened animal, her eyes large with terror. Nao stood close, glaring at the Nazis in suspicion. All Natsuki could think of was getting something to eat and drink. The guards began to prod every one with rifles and shouted at them to form a line. Everyone was so tired and weak but it went unnoticed by the soldiers.

"_Marsch!" _the guards shouted, and everyone began to do as they were told. _"Schneller!_ Faster!"

They were being hurried on an uneven path, their stiff and sore bodies stumbling awkwardly. "Dirty Jew!" one of the men in uniform shouted when an old man tripped upon the shaky gravel. The Nazis were on him like buzzards picking at rotten meat. They began to bash his head in with the back of the rifle, all the while asking for the impossible.

A whimper escaped Alyssa and Natsuki blocked the young girls view with her body. Finally, a shot rang out and everyone increased their pace.

After a short distance the path widened into a dirt road with tracks worn by cars and wagons. The Jews followed the road out of the trees and down a hill toward a wide valley where a farmhouse and a barn resided. Cows grazed beyond wire fencing, looking at them curiously with wide, brown eyes.

The sun beat down on them from high in the sky, unbroken by any shade. It seemed that the guards would make them walk until they dropped. Alyssa's frequent coughs were now turning into wheezing as she desperately tried to keep up on her tiny legs. It was a horrible sight that had Natsuki's arms itching to reach out and hold the fragile child. As time went on, the young girl was gasping for breath as tears streamed down her face. The raven-haired girl knew that anyone who dropped to the ground was immediately shot and left behind. As the blonde stumbled, Natsuki reached down and snatched her up from the ground quickly, holding the girl up in her arms.

Ignoring the furious shouts of the soldiers, Natsuki increased her pace ten-fold and passed the Jews in front of her. She was at the front of the line now, and the Nazi shouts ceased, content to let them be since the raven-haired girl had increased the pace of the line. Guilt consumed her, knowing that she had added even more struggling for the others. Her boots slapped loudly against the road, drowning out the volley of shots that rang out.

At last a cluster of rooftops appeared in the valley below, with tall smokestacks towering above them and blotting out the sun. The prisoners arrived at a group of long, three-story brick buildings surrounded by a high brick wall with barbed wire meshed at the top. The guards led them through a large iron gate into an open, unpaved yard that was crowded with hundreds of men, women, and children. All of them wore yellow stars. Their wailing filled the yard.

The group was herded into line by soldiers with snarling dogs, their fangs barred menacingly. Natsuki choked on the smoke that polluted the air with its grey haze and unbearable stench. It turned the bright day into twilight. Alyssa sobbed in her arms while ashes fell from the dark air onto their hair and clothes.

The eldest glanced back, catching sight of the red flame of hair. Light green eyes connected with emerald, a strong emotion of understanding passing between the two. She watched silently as Nao kept glancing around, waiting for the right moment to join them. She made sure no one was looking, before the red-head bolted passed the Jews in line. All three siblings were once again safely together.

They stood huddled together, their breath visible in the chilling air, offering each one warmth.

"_Baruch atah Adonai, Elohenu melech ha'olam; ha'motzi lechem min ha'aretz._ Blessed are You, Ruler of the world, Who bring forth bread from the earth," Natsuki whispered the prayer, her sisters joined her.

Nothing was said after that.

The soldiers once again started firing off orders. Men and boys alike were being forced into another line directly across from the line the women were standing in. Women and children were separated, as were husbands and wives. Directly ahead of the trio was a father and his child. The young girl clung desperately to her father as the soldiers began to pull him away. The child was howling for her Papa as he was taken from her and roughly inserted into the line of males.

Every time there were no soldiers around, he would call across to her. "It's okay, _Chavele,_" he repeated to the whimpering child as she stood alone, her arms outstretched toward him, fists clenching and unclenching. "I'm right here."

Natsuki watched with a mournful gaze.

"What's your name, kid?" The raven-haired teen asked. The girl's crying immediately stopped as she stared up at her with large, teary eyes.

"C-Coby," she answered in a small voice.

"That's a lovely name," She told the young girl in a warm voice. Coby looked to be about Alyssa's age. She had chocolate-brown eyes and black curls that stretched to the small of her back. "Would you like to stay with us while your Papa is over there? We'll meet back up with him later, okay?"

Coby nodded her head slowly as she stared at the older girl with wonder. She plopped her thumb in her mouth and shuffled toward the older girl nervously. She fisted a tiny fist full of Natsuki's pants leg and continued to suckle her digit.

Natsuki glanced down at the young girl for a moment before turning her eyes on Coby's father. The man offered a thankful smile, his eyes the same as those of his daughter's.

After many hours, the four girls were lined up before a table, a female officer in a black suit observed them with a face of stone. The white skulls on her uniform marked her as an officer of the SS.

"Family name?" the woman asked Natsuki coolly.

"Kruger," Natsuki stated back just as icily.

The guard wrote in a ledger then dismissed them. They were hurried across the hard-packed ground and led into one of the many brick buildings. When they entered, they found themselves in a hallway lined with stools next to deathly-pale people wearing black and white striped outfits. In their hands were razorblades, as they shaved the heads of weeping Jewish women. It was then, that Natsuki noticed that the women waiting in line were as naked as the day they were born. Their arms wrapped tightly around themselves, trying in vain to hide their bare bodies.

"Strip!" someone shouted suddenly from the doorway. The message only met the Jews' confusion. "I said strip!"

A shot rang out and a woman dropped to the floor, blood spilling from under her. Screams erupted before everyone finally unfroze and began to hastily take off their clothes. Natsuki fiddled with the top button of her shirt, not being able to decide if she should comply with these demands. Before she could contemplate it any longer, she heard the air whistle next to her left ear before a searing pain erupted in the side of her head.

She could feel the warm blood pool on her face. It tasted bitter as it dripped into her mouth. Her head was pounding badly as she instinctively brought up her arms to protect her skull from further abuse. Staring up through the safety of her limbs, she saw the ugly face of her attacker.

"Damn Jew! When I give you an order, I expect you to follow it! Now take off your fucking clothes!" the SS soldier screamed in a shrill voice.

Natsuki was shocked as anger and hatred boiled through her when she caught sight of the bloody baton in her attacker's grip. Her fists clenched, nails biting deep into flesh leaving bloody half moons as she stared up at the German's face. A terrified cry broke the rage that clouded the raven-haired girl's mind. The fury she felt instantly fluttered away from her grasp as her eyes caught sight of the whimpering Alyssa. The blonde had her face pressed deeply into the shirt of a now defiant-looking Nao. Natsuki's heart dropped at the sight, for she knew the red-head well. If she didn't do something quickly, Nao would lose her temper and do something that would later be regretted.

"I am truly sorry, sir," Natsuki sputtered as she quickly began to unbutton her shirt, stepping in front of her sister to hide those rebellious green eyes. "It won't happen again. I can assure you."

"Damn right it won't," the ugly man sneered as he greedily watched her undress. His hawk-like eyes defiling her as she was forced to reveal more and more of herself to this evil man. Bile rose in her throat as she stood naked, cold, and bare under his wandering gaze, a perverted grin plastered on his face.

"It's too bad you're a Jew," the man purred as he stepped close, violating her with his presence. Natsuki swallowed down her retort and fear and stood absolutely motionless. Finally, the man stepped away, chuckling as he did so. He fixed his creepy stare on her once again before sauntering off.

Natsuki released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Her entire frame started shivering, her heart pounding with terror as she turned back toward her sisters and Coby. She gave them an uneasy smile and advised them to undress. She took one last look into Nao's eyes, knowing that they could be the death of her sister.

What came next, Natsuki would never forget. She had always treasured her thick raven locks; they were the source of many people's compliments. Her thoughts drifted back to the time before the Nazis came. She was running on the paving stones, racing her best friend, Mai, home from school. Mrs. Tohika leaned out from her third-story window to call, "Slow down, girls! You're going to hurt yourselves." But the scolding settled upon deaf ears as the girls raced up the stairs. They entered Mai's home which smelled like chicken soup, raisin-noodle pudding, and potato dumplings. The younger version of Natsuki saw her Mama sitting with Mrs. Tohika listening to opera on the radio, knitting as she sang along. The raven-haired girl went to her mother and received a kiss on the cheek. Then the warm hands would smooth back her raven locks as her mother would whisper, "So pretty."

Now, as she sat upon the icy wood of the stool, staring down at the floor as her beautiful hair was shaved from her head, she could do nothing. For the first time throughout this whole ordeal, she felt tears shining in her emerald gaze but she blinked them back. She was strong and she wouldn't give the Germans that satisfaction. It hardly took any time at all; the blade was merciless as it glided across her scalp. When the job was done, she took one last glance at the prisoner with hollow eyes and gaunt cheeks before plodded on to the next stool where each prisoner was given a tattoo on their forearm.

The sting of it surprised her. She gritted her teeth and bore through the pain. Natsuki released a sigh when it was over, staring at the numbers marring her fair skin.

"Your name?" a guard at the table asked her, eyeing her like she was filth.

"Natsuki Kruger."

The guard scanned the list of paper in his hands before roughly grabbing her hand and writing the number next to her name. Then he shoved her forearm close to her eyes and ordered, "Read it—out loud!"

"39164," she read.

"From now on _that_ is your name," the guard hissed. "Remember it always." Then he dropped her arm as if it had burned him and pointed to one of the other buildings that were identical to this one. "Go!"

Rushing toward the other building, her arms tightly about herself, her face burned in embarrassment as she was forced to run outside for everyone to see stark naked. She entered the enormous room where more naked women were crowded together so tightly that there was almost no space to walk. Women of all ages gathered anywhere they could and whispering to each other in Polish, Yiddish, Czech, and German.

Natsuki waited for her sisters since she was the first in line to get her head shaved and her arm tattooed. Then she noticed a small girl with blue eyes stumble into the room.

"Alyssa?" she called out hoarsely and unsure. The young child turned and cried out, then the two sisters hurried into each other's arms. Alyssa started to cry as she held on tightly to her eldest sibling. Soon, another girl Alyssa's size came running in, her eyes shut tightly and her thumb in her mouth.

"Coby!"

At the sound of her name, her chocolate eyes shot open. She stared till her eyes lighted up in recognition and she ran over immediately joining in on the hug even though she barely knew them. Nao was next to enter, her flashing green eyes hard to miss. A huge grin broke out at the sight of them.

"We all look like hairless monkeys," she joked, running her hand through the fuzz at the top of her head. Natsuki couldn't help but smirk a little. Only Nao could find something funny in this situation.

Once again reunited, the group of girls pushed their way farther into the room and waited for what would happen next. It seemed that they'd been doing that a lot these days; waiting. Everyone jumped at the unexpected noise of a ringing bell as a loud squirting noise filled the room just before water erupted from the ceiling. Laughter and joy filled the air as people gladly let the water rain down upon them, even if it was freezing. They opened their mouths towards the ceiling, desperately drinking the drops that collected on their tongues. The girls rubbed their bodies free of dirt, grime, and sweat.

The 'shower' didn't last very long, much to their disappointment, but it did make them feel a little revitalized. They were herded through a set of double doors by more soldiers with guns and were each given a set of prisoner uniforms and boots. Natsuki happily changed into the clothes, even if the colors marked her as a criminal.

'_For what?'_ she faintly wondered.

They entered a large, brick three-story building only known as 'Barracks 2'. Each was assigned a bunk (which was more like a slab of stone set into the wall); one bunk for each family. The four girls collapsed on the straw-filled bunk, all piled together on the bed on top of each other like puppies while the last remnants of daylight streamed through the windows.

* * *

**I'd like to hear what you think about the story so far. I find myself having difficulty writing and I know it's only going to get worse as the chapters progress. But I feel like I have to write this story, like I'm meant to. I'm not sure, that's just how I feel.**

**P.S. These are the hebrew names that I found that looked relatively close to the character's real names:**

**Natsuki: Naphtali**--(meaning) _The Wrestling _(pronounced) _Naf-tall-ee_  
**Nao: Noa--**(meaning) _Movement _(pronounced) _No-ah_  
**Alyssa: Aliza**--(meaning) _Joyful _(pronounced)_ Ah-lie-zah_  
**Shizuru: Shira--**(meaning) _Poetry _(pronounced) _Shy-rah_

**It's up to you if you want me to change the names. I just think it feels more real if the character's names were Hebrew and not Japanese.**

**--BlueIV**


	3. I Believe

**To Save A Life  
**_--BlueIV_

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**

* * *

**

_I believe in the sun  
though it is late  
in rising_

_I believe in love  
though it is absent_

_I believe in God  
though he is  
silent..._

_--Text from an unsigned inscription found on the wall of a cave in Cologne where Jews had been hidding._

* * *

A nervous chauffer held his breath as a lustrous, black limousine eased up to the curb right outside a fashionable apartment building in Cracow. The young man stood poised and prim as his gloved hand opened the door with as much grace as he could muster. A tall young woman in an elegant uniform, decorated with various metals and awards that she had earned over many years, stepped out from the dark depths of the dazzling vehicle.

"Watch your step, _Obersturmführer_ Viola," said the chauffer, his expression that of awe as he took in the sight of the striking woman before him. Crimson eyes smiled at him.

An SS _Unterscharführer,_ sergeant, in white gloves saluted the gorgeous _Obersturmführer_, lieutenant colonel, before opening the double doors revealing a classy room full of finely-dressed people. The sound of violins could be heard playing a cheerful tune. As the beautiful military personnel entered the room, it seemed that all eyes drew explicitly towards her graceful frame. Her elaborate tawny hair and striking red orbs demanded attention. Even the large, chandelier that sparkled above was but a small flame to the raging wildfire that was Shizuru Viola.

Those acquainted to Frau Viola knew of her easy magnetic charm, mostly exercised particularly in the presence of women. They also knew of her seemingly never-ending success. That is why the pre-dinner conversation turned to silence at the mere presence of the Lieutenant Colonel.

"Welcome, _Obersturmführer_ Viola. I'm honored that you could make it," boomed Herr Commandant Goeth, head of the SS in this region. He was a middle-aged man that kept nearly four thousand Jews employed, and safe from death, working at his profitable factory. He was a good man; which was the precise reason why Shizuru blessed him with her companionship.

"Ara, of course I would have come, Herr Goeth. Do you think I could leave you here to your own devices? That would be social suicide," Shizuru teased the man, her crystalline voice similar to the violins in the background.

The Commandant chuckled heartily before saying, "I believe you are right, Lieutenant Colonel. Which is why I'm am humbled by your presence here tonight. Shall, we sit? The food is spectacular this night, if I do say so myself."

"Lead the way."

After they had been seated among a table full of high-class soldiers, all who were noticeably German, Shizuru was given formal introductions. Many of these men were accompanied by women noticeable younger than them. She could immediately tell that the women were high-class prostitutes. She shook their proffered hands and treated them like fine ladies, but they would not share her bed later that night.

Shizuru slept alone more often these days. If word got out that she was a homosexual then she would immediately be annihilated by her fellow countrymen.

Her personal life was shrouded in secrecy.

More guests were summoned to the table. An onion soup was carried in by several maids. While the guests ate and chatted, the musicians continued to play, moving closer to the diners. They were drinking a heavy Hungarian red wine, and the air in the dining room thickened to the point where many of the officers had to remove their uniform jackets. There was gossip about war contracts and bombings in the east before the main dish was served.

As the night progressed, many of the soldiers were shooting shots of brandy but Shizuru continued to sip at the wine. It wasn't until later that night, when everyone's eyes were lit up by the alcohol running through their veins, when talk of _Obersturmführer _Viola's upcoming plans for the future was brought into the conversation.

"So, Most-Honorable Viola, what are your plans now? After leading an army into Russia successfully, I would have thought you would have settled down for awhile. The Russian winter is enough to make anyone wish to retire. I do say, even our very own Herr Hitler wouldn't think twice about resigning," one of the finely-dressed men offered across the table. The change of topic had everyone curious, so they listened closely for Shizuru's answer.

"It's true that the Russian winter could make anyone wish to retire, but you've forgotten something very valuable, Herr Schneider," Frau Viola gave him her infamous smile from behind her glass. Her eyes the same color as the rich wine. "I'm not just anyone."

An uproar of laughter filed the dining hall, causing the other dinner guests to glance over curiously. A friendly slap on the back was given to Herr Schneider as he chuckled, "Ah, you are certainly right. It's a wonder I overlooked that important detail. But, all joking aside, I'm still curious as to what your plans are?"

Shizuru hummed her consent and placed her glass of wine on the table cloth. She laced her fingers together before saying, "Well, after much thought, I decided that I'd oversee one of the Jewish labor camps."

'_And hopefully bring some humanity back into the world,' _was what was left unsaid.

Everyone who mattered knew that Shizuru Viola was against what was currently happening across the country; the killings of the Jews. '_Genocide, is what it is,'_ she thought silently to herself. And although most everyone was aware that she was in opposition to it, they knew that she could say, or do, nothing to stop it; because going against Hitler's rule was a one way ticket to the gas chambers.

"Now, why, I must ask, would you want to do that?"

"Politics," was the mere answer accompanied by a wink. Many of the soldiers' faces around the table flushed at the expression. They all noticed the slight increase of temperature inside the rowdy dining room.

Shizuru cleared her throat and moved to stand, placing her napkin on the table as she said, "I'm sorry to say I must go. It has been a lovely evening gentlemen. Thank you for the invitation Herr Goeth. I'll be looking forward to your next party, I do enjoy them. _Auf Wiedersehen, _Goodbye."

"_Heil Hitler!" _the men saluted.

"_Heil Hitler," _she saluted back.

* * *

"Inspection!" someone shouted suddenly from the doorway. The message traveled quickly from bunk to bunk. Natsuki sprang up, effectively waking her sisters and Coby. "It's still night," Alyssa protested drowsily as she blinked sleepily at her sister.

All around them women raced to the exit of the barracks. The girls were too confused and frightened to ask questions, so they just mimicked what everyone else was doing. A tall, plump woman barked at everyone as they went past, swinging her baton around aimlessly, not caring who she hit.

The four girls managed to get past her unharmed and followed the frantic Jews down three flights of stairs. As they stumbled out the double doors, they were handed a single, wooden bowl. An icy wind whipped at them the moment they stepped outside. Natsuki shivered under the prisoner uniform. They stood in a line outside of the barracks as guards patrolled the yard, which was lit by yellow lamps on tall poles. Long lines of prisoners stretched from one end of the building to the other. Natsuki was still in confusion and was looking around curiously when a middle-aged woman next to her whispered, "Don't move."

"Why? What's going on?"

"The _Lagerführerin,_ camp commander, is coming to inspect us. You have to look strong, show Tomoe Marguerite you're able to work," the woman explained in a frightened voice.

"Able to work? What do you mean?"

"_Shhh,_" she sputtered; her voice shaky with terror. "Not so loud. A-are those your sisters? The young ones?"

"Yes," Natsuki replied in a whisper; not bothering to tell the Jew that Coby wasn't really related to her.

"Tell them, that if asked their age, they must reply that their twelve. No one younger than twelve is allowed inside the camps."

"What? They're obviously not twelve."

"It doesn't matter. The _Lagerführerin_ doesn't really care for their age as long as they can work. But they must say that their twelve. Also, keep your eyes downcast at all times. Stand straight and only speak when spoken to," the woman advised.

Natsuki examined the Jew from the corner of her eye. The woman was tall, broad-shouldered and seemed that she had been here for a long time. Her face was gaunt and her eyes looked like they had receded far into the back of her skull, but she seemed trustworthy and knew what she was talking about.

Turning toward her sisters, she repeated the woman's words. The yard was silent except for the sudden arrival of polished leather boots thumping against the hard-packed ground. Natsuki did as she was instructed and kept her eyes on the ground. Every so often, she would hear the footfalls stop for a moment then resume down the line. The leather boots creaked as their owner walked, and the tapping came closer. And then, Natsuki inhaled the sweet aroma of perfume. She watched the boots in front of her stop and was shocked to feel her chin grabbed roughly. Without thinking, Natsuki raised her head and found herself looking straight into the hawk-like eyes of Tomoe Marguerite.

Her head was snapped to the right as a cool voice spoke, "Nasty gash you got there. I can't help but wonder what you did to receive it."

The raven-haired girl swallowed to clear her suddenly parched throat. "P-pushed down a flight of stairs." She silently cursed her shaky voice.

"A flight of stairs you say? Are you sure you can work with such an injury? I believe it would be difficult and cause a lot of pain." Inside those outwardly concerned words was a deeper meaning. Alarms went off in Natsuki's head; a clear warning. Then the words that the Jew had spoken to her reappeared with crystal clarity, '_You have to look strong, show Tomoe Marguerite you're able to work.' _She also remembered when as they were said, those lifeless eyes giving the smokestacks a fleeting glance full of fear.

"Yes, Frau Marguerite."

"Louder!"

"_Yes, Frau Marguerite."_

Her chin was released and she could feel those hawk-eyes on her before the leather boots started back down the line.

After the inspection, they joined the seemingly endless line that wound through the camp toward the kitchen. Silent and huddled in the shadows, the Jews looked more like ghosts than people. Natsuki took this time to study the camp's layout as she breathed on her hands to warm them. At one end of the camp there was a large open square where prisoners were counted every morning before they left camp, and every evening when they came back. A small wooden building at one end of the square housed the prisoners' infirmary—a dangerous place for a Jew.

The soup was a watery, flavorless broth with unidentifiable pieces floating at its surface. It was already cold by the time they got it. They were also given a stale portion of bread. All of it looked very unappetizing but at that point, the girls would have eaten anything they were given. It was the first meal they had been given in three days and it hardly reduced the hunger pangs.

After the meal, everyone was led down a stone-paved walkway outside of the concentration camp. The older prisoners were given shovels, the young were given wheel barrels. They were ordered to dig trenches. The hard-packed ground was frozen in the morning air, making it difficult to stab the earth with the blunt shovel. The guards always kept a close watch, beating anyone that slowed in progress. Even though it was the winter season, her uniform was damp with sweat, and her skin prickled.

Sharp pains stabbed her lower back and shoulders. The Jews worked endlessly.

Just then, several rows ahead, a woman fainted. Instantly, guards dragged her toward a German army truck parked nearby. They threw her in the back like a sack of flour; her body landed with a soft thud.

"Don't slow down," Natsuki warned Nao in a low voice. Soon, Alyssa and Coby, along with many other children, would be returning with their wheel barrels for the women in the trenches to fill with dirt, before it was carted off by the young girls once again.

"We Jews should have fought back when there was still a chance!" Nao whispered angrily as she heaved her tool high over her head before bringing it down on the earth. A large, metallic clang rung out as Natsuki sarcastically said, "When was there ever a chance?"

"Maybe it's time now," the red-head snapped.

"Don't," Natsuki warned. "Don't."

The raven-haired girl's head throbbed as she struggled to keep digging. Hour after hour of hard labor was forced upon them. They hurried without a break to plow through the dirt. Her throat felt sore from lack of water and her hands blistered. She glanced up at the sky for a quick second, noting the position of the sun. It was high in the sky. Six more hours were due before their work was finished for the day.

'_How will I get through a whole day of this?'_ Natsuki asked herself in exasperation.

At six o'clock the siren sounded for the Jewish workers to stop. Every muscle in Natsuki's body protested against the long walk back to the camp. The prisoners were caked in dust as they climbed from the trenches. Nao didn't look like she was doing much better.

"_Raus! Raus! _Hurry!" shouted the guards, prodding the Jews as they marched back to camp. The two girls spotted Alyssa and Coby, their small bodies bent over in exhaustion.

While they waited for the guards to count them, the young girls seemed to be falling asleep on their feet. They were exhausted from the hard labor.

"Natsuki, Alyssa can't continue to work like this. She's sickly. You know her lungs won't hold out," Nao whispered, a worried gaze cast onto their youngest sister. "What are we going to do?"

The raven-haired teen watched her blonde sibling closely. She could see the way her chest heaved with quick breathes and the horrible wet sound that came from her small frame.

"Pray," Natsuki said, since there was nothing else to say. "We will pray to God and ask for his help."

Nao was silent for a long while as they walked back towards the barracks before saying softly, "There is no God here. He has abandoned us."

Natsuki wanted to correct her sister. She wanted to scream at her for forsaking their Heavenly Father with those spiteful words; but, yet, she said nothing.

She said nothing…

* * *

**Hey, Blue here. After many debates and countless emails, I have decided that the names will not be changed. Many of you brought up a good point about how, if the names were changed, it would no longer be a fanfiction, rather, an original piece. I had to slap myself for not realizing that sooner. God damn blonde moments...(I'm not blonde by the way.) Anyways, I have another important question for my readers. **

**What concentration camp should be used in this story? Frankly, I have no idea. So, I decided to ask you. I'm sure that this may cause many of you to do a little bit of research, and I give you my deepest apologies. **

**On the bright side of things, Shizuru has finally shown up! Let's give a big round of applause. Well, I'll be looking forward to reviews. So, good luck and I'm 'outta here.**

**--BlueIV**


	4. Amid Storms of Grief

**To Save A Life  
**_--BlueIV_

* * *

**Chapter 4**

* * *

_How can I see you, love,  
Standing alone  
Amid storms of grief  
Without feeling my heart shake?_

_A deep night,  
Blacker than the blackness of your eyes,  
Has fallen silently  
On the world_

_And is touching your curls._

_Come,  
My hand will clasp your dreaming  
Hand,  
And I shall lead you between the nights,_

_Through the pale mists of childhood,  
As my father once guided me  
To the house of prayer._

_--David Vogel_

* * *

For days, the four girls continued the grueling routine placed upon them at camp. Pretty soon, days became weeks, and weeks became months. The time spent inside 'Hell-on-earth', as Nao liked to call it, was clearly shown on their faces. It was difficult to watch their bodies gradually deteriorating over time. In November, when Natsuki scanned the horizon for a sign from God, she only saw the black smoke from the chimneys drifting low to the ground, obscuring her view.

Although the emerald-eyed girl was exhausted from the hard labor from earlier that day, she was working busily by candle-light, knitting a scarf from scraps of yarn she'd 'liberated' for food with a Jew who worked at the factory shipping room. She was making it for Alyssa since it seemed that the weather was only getting cooler.

Her sisters and Coby were on their bunk napping while Natsuki sat on the floor, finishing the scarf she'd started earlier that week. The eldest of the four stared at her youngest sister without ceasing her hands' actions. Alyssa was fast asleep, curled up with one arm over Nao, her face half-hidden in the red-head's embrace. She eyed the pink fever spots on her sister's cheeks. They hadn't been there when she had lain down two hours ago. Alyssa's face was moist with sweat, but she shivered as if cold.

She was surprised to find Coby eyes wide open, watching her with something that was close to envy. After a moment, the small child joined her on the floor. Those chocolate-brown eyes eyed the scarf hungrily. "Is that for Alyssa?" the young girl questioned, her lisp could be heard when using the blonde's name.

"Yes, it's very important that she stays warm or she could get sick again," Natsuki explained as Coby slowly fingered the edge of the scarf.

The young girl stayed silent as she watched the older teen continue to knit. "Will you teach me?" she whispered in a small voice, almost afraid to be reprimanded for asking. Natsuki's heart warmed at the sight.

"Of course," she whispered just as softly.

They stayed up for most of the night, as Natsuki showed the child how to weave the fabric together perfectly. After a while Coby grew more adept in knitting the yarn so the teen then taught her how to repair a broken thread with a weaver's knot. "It's important to join the broken ends in a smooth, nearly invisible knot," she told Coby. "So there won't be a bump in the finished product."

For several hours, the brown-eyed girl practiced what she had learned while Natsuki stayed by her side every minute, helping and fixing mistakes. When Natsuki seemed pleased with her progress, Coby's face lit up in delight. As the night wore on, they decided it was time to join the others and sleep.

The older girl was surprised once again when she received a hug from the young girl; tiny arms latching to her desperately. She felt warm tears stain her shirt.

"Coby?"

Sobs were the only answer she was given.

Natsuki was unsure why tears were present in those chocolate-brown eyes, but she wrapped the young girl up in a strong embrace. She blew out the candle, quickly gathering up the knitting and lifted the girl up in her arms and settled her on the bunk before lying down next to the tiny figure that was only a black mass now that it was pitch dark in the barracks. She felt Coby's small body snuggle up close to her. She listened as the sniffling died down and closed her eyes, welcoming sleep.

The next week, they were taken off trench duty, and were given a new job which was to sweep and scrub the barracks. It was a welcomed change. Another change had occurred in Coby. Natsuki noticed that the girl had become her shadow ever since that night she had taught the child to knit. Any chance she could get, Coby would follow her around everywhere she went. Nao teased the young girl religiously, saying that it wouldn't be long before there would be a younger version of Natsuki walking around the camp.

But the emerald-eyed teen was too preoccupied with her thoughts and various chores to scold the girl. Plus, she really didn't mind all that much. There was much more troubling problems at hand; such as, ever since coming here, she hadn't once experienced the monthly bleeding that all girls her age went through. And it seemed she wasn't the only one. Nao had stopped too. Upon questioning, she was told that the Nazis put something in their food to make the women sterile.

'_Just another thing the Germans have taken from us,' _her viscous thoughts plagued her.

A light rain was falling when Natsuki left the barracks at the end of the day. She knew there was something wrong the minute she stepped outside. She could feel it in the air as it seeped through her skin. There was a small group of SS soldiers near the end of the barracks; their laughter was too loud—too boisterous. They swayed where they stood. Dread filled her entirely. Sharp gusts of wind blew dead leaves and grit into her face. Natsuki squeezed her eyes shut and held her prisoner cap in place to keep it from blowing away.

Ignoring the bad premonition, she continued to walk to the edge of the concentration camp and dumped the bucket of dirty water used to clean the barracks. Making her way back towards the barracks, she kept her head low to avoid making eye contact with the loitering soldiers.

"Hey, Jew!" a gruff voice called to her.

Swallowing the knot in the throat, she glanced up and then in an almost lazy kind of way, the German who had called out to her raised a pistol and set its sight on her.

Natsuki watched the whole thing without moving a muscle; the shock had locked her in place. As she stared death in the face, the whole world seemed to have slowed down and grown quiet and from inside the silence the emerald-eyed girl watched motionless.

Movement to the right caught her attention.

"Natsuki! Natsuki, look'it!" she heard the childish laughter.

The sudden presence of Coby with her big eyes and pure soul made Natsuki's heart stop. She could hear herself panting with panic as the gun veered towards the young girl.

"Coby. Coby!_ Coby!_" Natsuki yelled, barely drawing breath.

The chocolate-eyed girl paid no heed. She just continued to run towards her idol waving a crimson-colored cloth and shouting in glee, "Look'it, Natsuki!"

There was a loud crack, a small flame darted and vanished from the pistol; a little white smoke wavered in the wind. A tiny projectile gave a feeble screech and Coby's tiny legs gave out from the impact. She dropped as if felled by dynamite, her legs were still pedaling on instinct.

Natsuki skidded to a stop next to the girl. It was like someone had pulled a nightmare out of her brain, holding it up in the light for her to look at. There was blood everywhere as the emerald eyed girl pulled Coby in her arms. When she was rolled over, Natsuki looked down and saw that Coby was still alive, gurgling and trying to move the arm that was caught under her body. There was a look of naked terror in those chocolate-brown eyes. Her small frame was thrashing around like someone having a fit, her mouth hung open in a silent scream.

All Natsuki could do was cry and choke in misery and despair as she held the convulsing child tight to her chest.

"_Ssssh,"_ Natsuki comforted her, running her fingers through Coby's dark hair that was slicked back like the fur of an otter ever since it started to grow back. She didn't speak but she held Coby's hand and told her over and over that she loved her through the blood beating into her veins and running down through her hand and into the young girl's fingers. The dainty hand in hers gripped her fingers; strongly at first, then weakly until it went limp and cold like a dead thing.

The emerald-eyed girl whimpered and her face crumbled as the fight in the tiny legs ceased. The horrible wet sound died down and those once lively, brown eyes were cold and lifeless as they stared up towards the sky without seeing.

The shock of seeing someone she knew dead set off a new attack of panic. She bent low over the body, till her face was pushed into the dirt. Natsuki could hear a series of loud wails coming from a wounded animal. It was only a moment later before discovering that it was coming from her.

Through her cries, she could also make out the sound of hysterical laughter coming from the drunken guards.

Natsuki noticed the cloth Coby had been holding only moments before. She pulled the red material to her face and unraveled it as she studied it through her tears.

It was a crimson scarf; the fabric the same color as Coby's blood.

She focused intensely on the cloth, as if staring at the strands of yarn could bring the young child back again. She buried her tear-stained face into the scarf as misery enveloped her like the bitter cold. The boisterous laughter once again resounded through Natsuki's head as if mocking her and her grief. The tears abruptly ceased their flow as enraged emerald eyes glared at the soldiers before her. Her breathing became ragged and her hands bundled into fists.

An enraged scream echoed across the camp. All the fear, the anger, the desperation, the hopelessness, and despair Natsuki had felt throughout the years came rushing to her.

Four years ago, when the German soldiers had marched into Bedzin, setting fire to the synagogue. A month earlier, when the Nazis had forced them to move into the Jewish ghetto. She recalled the time when the German soldiers had sent them from their home. One soldier standing in their living room, pointing a gun at Natsuki's mother, while another tore through their drawers and cupboards, paying no more attention to her and her family than if they were specks of lint on the carpet. Being given less than five minutes to gather clothes and quilts before they were thrown out onto the street. Watching silently as innocent people were slaughtered before her eyes.

Through it all, Natsuki had stayed silent, waiting for God to come and save them as the Nazis took everything from her.

This time, they had gone too far.

'_No more,' _A voice erupted in her head as she ran at the startled soldiers, her fist raised as she cried out in fury. '_NO MORE!'_

When her fist connected with one of the soldier's nose with surprising strength, a satisfying crack could be heard as the bone shifted under the force. Pivoting quickly on the balls of her feet, she delivered an uppercut to another man's chin. As the guard started to fall, she snatched the pistol from his belt located at his hip. Natsuki pivoted once again, pointing the gun towards the third soldier's face; the weapon unwavering.

Her cold stare connected with the blue eyes of the guard, their depths full of terror.

At that moment, Natsuki wished she could say her heart dropped at the position she was currently in. But, it didn't. What heart she had left no longer felt like flesh and blood. Lead, maybe.

Or stone.

"Don't fucking move!" Natsuki screamed at the man when he foolishly started to reach for the gun at his side. A sinister grin darkened her face as she tightened her finger on the trigger.

"Ara?" a voice sounded behind her. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Startled, the emerald-eyed girl whipped her head to see the speaker, never letting the gun's sight trail away from the man before her.

Emeralds latched on to crimson.

The eyes belonged to a woman who was strikingly beautiful. Everything about her, from her prominent nose to her high forehead and molded cheekbones, looked as if it had been planned by a sculptor. She was slightly taller than Natsuki, with a light complexion and her eyes—her eyes were rubies fringed with long lashes.

The woman smiled readily and spoke in a sweet, melodious voice that contrasted with the sadness in her eyes and the menacing rifle trained to fire straight at her heart. "Shooting him wouldn't be wise," she told Natsuki, nodding to the young soldier.

"Does it look like I care?!" Natsuki spat, her voice cracking slightly. "I—I can't take it anymore! She was just a child! A child! She didn't deserve this!"

More tears fell from her eyes as she glanced momentarily at the unmoving Coby.

"You're all monsters!" She continued to shout, she turned back to the soldier before her, shoving the pistol's barrel against his forehead. The young solider started to blubber out pleas for his life. Natsuki took one last look at the scarf still wrapped around her arm before squeezing the trigger and whispering, _"_Forgive me_."_

The loud crack of a gunshot ended it all.


	5. Be Seeing You

**To Save A Life  
**_--BlueIV_

* * *

**Chapter 5**

* * *

_After the third evening round  
In the yard of the concetration camp  
We disperse to our quarters_

_We know that before dawn  
One of us will be taken out and shot_

_We smile like conspirators  
And whisper to each other  
Be seeing you_

_We don't say when or where_

_We've given up the old ways  
We know what we mean_

* * *

"Ara?" a voice sounded behind her. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Startled, the emerald-eyed girl whipped her head to see the speaker, never letting the gun's sight trail away from the man before her.

Emeralds latched on to crimson.

The eyes belonged to a woman who was strikingly beautiful. Everything about her, from her prominent nose to her high forehead and molded cheekbones, looked as if it had been planned by a sculptor. She was slightly taller than Natsuki, with a light complexion and her eyes—her eyes were rubies fringed with long lashes.

The woman smiled readily and spoke in a sweet, melodious voice that contrasted with the sadness in her eyes and the menacing rifle trained to fire straight at her heart. "Shooting him wouldn't be wise," she told Natsuki, nodding to the young soldier.

"Does it look like I care?!" Natsuki spat, her voice cracking slightly. "I—I can't take it anymore! She was just a child! A child! She didn't deserve this!"

More tears fell from her eyes as she glanced momentarily at the unmoving Coby.

"You're all monsters!" She continued to shout, she turned back to the soldier before her, shoving the pistol's barrel against his forehead. The young solider started to blubber out pleas for his life. Natsuki took one last look at the scarf still wrapped around her arm before squeezing the trigger and whispering, _"_Forgive me_."_

The loud crack of a gunshot ended it all.

* * *

It was in that instant, when Natsuki didn't notice the solider beside her who she believed she had knocked unconscious earlier, pull out a pistol from his belt. Just as she was about to pull the trigger and end the young man's existence, a terrible pain shot through her. She squeezed her eyes shut, gasping for air. Nightmarish images hovered at the edge of her vision along with blinding colors mixed with an intense cold. Natsuki tried to cry out, but her tongue felt thick and foreign, and she couldn't form the scream that wanted to rip itself from her throat. The pain in her abdomen grew fierce. The raven-haired girl blindly clutched her side, feeling the warmth oozing out of the gaping wound just below her rib cage.

Blood forced itself up her throat and dribbled out of the side of her mouth as she stumbled backwards. Her vision wavered as darkness closed in, threatening to swallow her whole. The remaining strength left her and her feet gave out from under her, no longer able to support her weight. She dropped to the ground, the sound of it echoing through her head. The ability to feel left her swiftly, and a cold numbness took its place.

Her emerald orbs involuntarily captured the sight of the lifeless Coby, those dead chocolate brown eyes forever open and staring at the horrible spectacle of the world.

Then everything was no more.

* * *

Natsuki tried to open her eyes, but some unseen force held them shut. Her entire body ached with a dull pain. She moved her hand to her head as half-formed images came back to her: a dying Coby, brown eyes going dim; a beautiful solider with sad eyes; and a terrible pain, which was still there, throbbing in her stomach and piercing through her skull.

She heard someone enter the room; thick-soled boots on hardwood was enough to force her eyes open as her entire body went ridged from fear. She knew that sound too well. Emeralds met with crimson.

"Don't be afraid," a soothing voice with a heavy German accent said. "You're in a guest bedroom in my house after yesterday's events."

Natsuki stared at the solider, green eyes full of suspicion. She had recognized the woman from yesterday. It was not likely that the raven-haired girl would forget a face such as this beautiful soldier's.

"My name is Shizuru Viola," the Nazi stated as she slowly made her way towards the bed where the wounded Jew lay. Her moves were slow and careful, like those of a person trying to approach a stray dog, afraid that it would turn and run. "And, you are?"

"Are you going to kill me?" a husky voice asked, ignoring the posing question that still hung in the air.

That sad look returned to those crimson orbs once again. "No, I can assure you."

"Reassurance from a Nazi. How comforting," Natsuki retorted, her voice harsh and cold. She wasn't sure why she was talking back like this. She had never spoken to a German soldier this way before. Maybe it was the fact that, deep down, she realized she didn't care anymore.

Those sad eyes were still settled on her as the tawny-haired woman made her way closer to the bed. She seemed hesitant to talk, but she continued anyways. "I brought you some water from the kitchen. I figured you'd want something to drink after being unconscious for three days."

Emerald eyes widened slightly at that.

'_Three days? I've been asleep for that long? And my sisters—My sisters! They probably think I'm dead!"_

"I must leave," Natsuki gasped as she went to sit up. Pain shot through her abdomen and ricocheted like bullets. Shizuru was quick to usher the girl to rest her head back down on the pillow.

"I'm afraid you aren't well enough for that task."

"I have to go to my sisters. They need me," Natsuki struggled against the woman, ignoring her silent request to take it easy. Seeing that the teen would not rest until she was with her sisters, Shizuru asked, "What are their names?"

"Wha—"

"Your sisters. What are their names?"

Natsuki looked confused but answered, "Nao and Alyssa Kruger."

"Very well. Although you may not believe me, I promise that I will find your sisters and bring them here. But first, I would like it if you'd at least have a drink of water," Shizuru told the restless girl before bringing a glass to her lips.

The pain in Natsuki's head grew worse when she moved her jaw, but she was terribly thirsty, and the cool water soothed her mouth and throat. She drank heavily; faintly aware that this was the first drink of cold, uncontaminated water she's had since she arrived at the camp. Usually the prisoners were given water from dirty horse troughs; flecks of leaves and mosquito larvae floating at the surface. The glass was emptied all too soon. The cool liquid sloshing around in her empty stomach.

The sight of the stick-thin girl drinking desperately tugged at Shizuru's heart-strings.

"Now sleep," Shizuru whispered and when she gently pushed the girl down on the mattress, she was met with little resistance. "When you wake, you're sisters will be here and food will be ready."

Natsuki was suddenly very tired. Her eyelids grew heavy with the promise of sleep. "Why are you helping me?" she slurred.

Shizuru was momentarily caught off guard from that question but she smiled lightly and answered, "Because I care, Mrs. Kruger."

Natsuki slept for most of the day. It was late in the afternoon when she began to stir. She could hear voices in the room but they suddenly stopped when Natsuki groaned at the sting in her stomach.

"Natsuki!" a tiny, weeping body threw itself on the bed and arms wrapped around her in a fierce embrace. The raven-haired girl returned the hug just as fiercely, ignoring the nagging pain. As she held the sobbing Alyssa, her eyes caught sight of Nao standing at the foot of the bed. Lime green eyes were red and swam with tears. Her bottom lip trembled slightly and Natsuki could tell the red-head was trying very hard not to cry. A smile split the eldest sister's face as she motioned for Nao to join the hug.

That was all it took for the red-head's walls to crumble. Tears flowed freely down her face as she ran into Natsuki's arms, burying her face in her sister's neck. The three held each other whispering their love to one another. Each one feeling the loss of Coby.

Natsuki noticed Shizuru leaning against the door frame, watching the sisters' reunion with a look of sorrow. The emerald-eyed girl nodded her thanks. The gratitude was received with a small smile before the beautiful Nazi walked away, leaving the siblings their privacy.

* * *

**Gah! It was so hard to kill my character Coby. I had basically based her off of me when I was her age, although she wasn't quite as mean. I was asking my dad what I was like when I was little to get some ideas on how Coby would interact with Natsuki and company. Well turns out, I was quite the little bitch. I used to go around and shoot my little brother with this nerf gun and tie his shoes together when he wasn't looking. But Coby's whole sucking her thumb thing, the lisp, and the constant need to grab onto people's shirts is all me.**

**I hope you've enjoyed this chapter. The good stuff is about to start! Woot!**

**Oh, yeah, and also I drew a picture for this story. If you want to check it out go to blueiv(Dot)deviantart(Dot)com just replace the (Dot) with an actual dot. And it is titled; To Save A Life. **

**--BlueIV**


	6. What Luck

**To Save A Life  
**_--BlueIV_

* * *

**Chapter 6**

* * *

_W__hat luck I can pick_

_Berries in the wood_

_I thought_

_There is no wood, no berries._

_What luck I can lie_

_In the shade of a tree_

_I thought trees_

_No longer give shade._

_What luck I am with you_

_My heart beats so_

_I thought man _

_Has no heart _

_--Tadeusz Rozewicz_

* * *

Natsuki and her sisters lived in a white gabled house with _Obersturmführer_ Viola. The house was surrounded by rows of flowers and a painted wooden fence, in sharp contrast to the looming brick buildings a mere mile away. The haze of smoke could still be seen in the distance. A stone-paved walkway lined by giant chestnut trees led to the house. The walkway followed close beside the swollen river, which churned noisily over a series of rapids. Pools of glassy water swirled darkly just before they dropped into foaming cascades. Red clay cliffs rose sharply on the opposite bank, and beyond them, dark rows of forested hills. The air smelled of blossoms and damp earth.

To Natsuki, the world had turned upside down all because of a certain tawny-haired Nazi. Here was Frau Viola, a German who helped Jews. And if rumors were true, she even studied Torah.

On more than one occasion, Natsuki had found Alyssa with Shizuru, the young girl talking animatedly to the German soldier. And lately, the raven-haired girl noticed a certain admiration in Nao's gaze when the tawny-haired woman walked by.

Jealousy began to rear its ugly head in Natsuki's soul and she jumped at any chance to make her ill feelings known to the Nazi. But, there was also curiosity. How was it that a German soldier could treat Jews with such respect? As if they were actually people?

Natsuki had forgotten what it was like to be treated like a real person. For so long she had been called scum and treated like some kind of animal that when Frau Viola addressed her like another human being, it caught her off guard.

Eventually, curiosity had finally gotten the better of her and the raven-haired Jew decided to ask around about the mysterious _Obersturmführer._

"How can a Nazi study Torah?" Her eyebrows furrowed at the thought of it.

"Frau Viola is a devout Christian," Another maid known as Hannah replied. "Katerina and Genia Gelfer's father was a rabbi in Krakow, and he raised them as if they were going to be rabbis, too. They study Torah with Frau Viola nearly every night."

"But she's a Nazi!" Natsuki couldn't help but retort. The idea was just too absurd.

Hannah just gave her this understanding look before replying, "Everyone believes God as sent her here to help us."

The emerald-eyed girl just scoffed and walked away.

Ever since hearing that, Natsuki began to study the German soldier. That afternoon during lunch provided the perfect opportunity. Today, Frau Viola wore an SS officer's uniform, and her honey-colored hair was pulled back loosely under her skull-emblazoned cap. Her eyes were a striking red, a very unique color. Her face was that of an aristocrat's. Smooth, perfect planes without a single blemish.

'_You may have everyone else fooled,' _She told herself. _'But you don't fool me.'_

The two polar-opposites made eye contact over the dinner table and Natsuki was once again graced with that small smile. The crimson eyes danced with mirth when they realized that they were being watched.

Natsuki donned her most intimidating scowl.

When Shizuru finished her light meal, she took an apple and a piece of cheese from a cloth bag and— with a quick, bright smile—gave them to the brooding girl. Natsuki stared at her, too surprised to respond. She hadn't had an apple since last Hanukkah, when Mama had traded their last porcelain bowl for two apples. Natsuki shifted uneasily and was relieved when the _Obersturmführer _turned away a moment later, heading towards the sink with her empty dishes.

"How are your wounds?" Shizuru asked over the sound of running water.

"Fine," the Jewish girl mumbled. She wasn't in the mood for small talk.

"I'm glad to hear that. And how do you find your stay here?"

A grunt was her answer.

"Not much for conversation, are you?"

Natsuki glared daggers into Shizuru's back. It felt like she was being silently laughed at. "I rather not waste my time on a damn Nazi."

The sound of dishes being washed suddenly ceased. Natsuki could almost see an invisible weight settle on the German's shoulders, causing Shizuru's head to hang and back to slump. A heavy silence fell upon the room and for a long time neither spoke.

"I am truly sorry," Shizuru whispered, momentarily breaking the silence. "I will not ask forgiveness for the suffering my fellow countrymen—the suffering _I_ have placed upon the Jews."

The solider reached to turn off the faucet and turned to exit the kitchen. Before she disappeared completely from Natsuki's view, she said, "You did not deserve this."

Then she was gone.

Natsuki was left to soak in the Nazi's words. Looking down at her hands, she noticed the food Shizuru had given her and quickly hid it in her new sweater to share with her sisters later.

'_Maybe she's not too bad afterall,'_ her conscious unwillingly said. The raven-haired girl mentally shook those thoughts from her head.

'_Remember what they did to Coby,' _she chanted over and over again. It wouldn't be wise for her to let down her guard at the first act of false kindness she has been shown in a very long time.

* * *

**Okay, so I have absolutely no excuse for my absence and I am very sorry to have kept you waiting. It seems like I have issues with finishing my stories. I'm not sure why I lose interest in writing them but I do. Now, I fear the only way I'll keep writing this is if I either have fans harrassing me constantly or if I can get someone to help me write and give me inspiration. So, yes, am asking for someone to help me write my stories. If you're interested, just send me a pm. **

**--BlueIV**


	7. The Butterfly

_'To Save A Life'_

_Chapter 6:_

_The Butterfly_

_Written by: BlueIV_

_Revised by: Hollowed-Words_

_

* * *

_

_The last, the very last,  
So richly, brightly, dazzlingly yellow.  
Perhaps if the sun's tears would sing  
against a white stone._

Such, such a yellow  
Is carried lightly way up high.  
It went away I'm sure because it wished to  
kiss the world good-bye.

For seven weeks I've lived in here,  
Penned up inside this ghetto.  
But I have found what I love here.  
The dandelions call to me  
And the white chestnut branches in the court.  
Only I never saw another butterfly.

That butterfly was the last one.  
Butterflies don't live here,  
in the ghetto.

_-Pavel Friedman_

* * *

Nao lounged in an old antique chair, her legs crossed at the knee and her chin propped on her fist as she stared at the pile of unwashed clothes near her feet. In another life, she could never imagine herself doing any type of manual labor and that included scrubbing dirty socks in a small tub located on the front porch. But that was another life. Now, she was just thankful that her dead body wasn't being dragged from the gas chambers and thrown into a ditch where she would be left to rot along with hundreds of others. Plus, washing clothes wasn't so bad especially when working as a maid for one Shizuru Viola. Other than the fact that the _Obersturmführer's _garments were never soiled or dirtied, the beautiful Nazi didn't pressure Nao to hasten in any of her chores. Which was exactly why Nao was currently allowing herself to sink into soft leather.

Since living with _Frau_ Viola, the nightmare that occupied her every waking moment seemed so distant now. Here she was, in a beautiful house untouched by the horror that resided less than a mile away, living with her sisters and a few other maids who had been fortunate enough to cross paths with the compassionate solider. No longer were they beaten relentlessly or dragged out in the middle of the night and shot or forced to work until their hands cracked and bleed. No, Viola's lodgings were a haven. A little slice of heaven in this cruel world. Every day they were given three meals and slept on mattresses laid out in the basement. They were treated like human beings. People who had names and faces and family; who felt pain, happiness, and sorrow. And the way they were treated showed. Their bodies were no longer deathly pale and thin with starvation. Their eyes were alive again and even the smell of death which seemed to have taken up permanent residence under their skin had finally dwindled until at last it ceased to exist at all.

And all of these radical changes occurred in less than two months.

Nao was broken out of her thoughts by the sound of boots on the staircase. She knew that it was Natsuki even before she appeared at the bottom of the steps from the slow, hesitant footfalls. The trusted doctor that operated on her sister at Shizuru's orders explained that the bullet had cause significant damage to her pelvic bone when the bullet entered. Her raven-haired sister was practically healed but some things provided more difficulty than others; one of those things being stairs.

As usual, Nao's gaze was instantly drawn to those emerald eyes. It couldn't be helped. Those eyes were something that demanded others' attention like a challenge. Her strong, defiant face gave the impression of confidence and power but she walked with a limp that almost broke Nao's heart. It was still difficult to watch her once wholesome sibling struggle to make it down the last few steps. When she finally had both feet planted firmly on the ground, the traces of pain that shadowed her sister's features retreated. Nao let out a breath she had been unconsciously holding.

"Nao," Natsuki huskily voiced as a way of greeting.

She watched as those emerald orbs shifted to look at the pile of clothes at her feet. The siblings locked gazes and Nao could clearly see the warning Natsuki was non-verbally communicating with a lift of a dark eyebrow.

"Ugh, alright already," the chair gave out a loud sigh as Nao rose reluctantly. "I was just about to wash them anyways. I was just taking a little break is all."

The expression on her older sister's face clearly let her know she had been caught in the lie. Nao decided it was probably best to not get defensive. '_God knows we get into enough fights already,' _she thought offhandedly.

"I'll help you this time," Natsuki bent down to gather up most of the clothes before continuing. "But next time it's my turn to clean the outhouse, you'll be cleaning right along with me."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever," The red head dismissed the notion with a wave of her hand. She stepped out onto the porch and enjoying the spring air that instantly filled her lungs. After grabbing the metal tub and washboard, she took her time walking to the empty clothes lines. After the two filled the tub with water and each retrieved a bar of soap, they began the tedious task of washing clothes.

"Alyssa is doing a lot better," Nao made the off-handed comment. She knew that small talk was one way to make time go by a bit faster. "I hardly ever hear her wheezing anymore at night. That doctor sure knows what he's doing."

A doctor had been scheduled weekly to tend to the sickly Alyssa after having spoken to Viola. The young child had been prescribed a large dose of remedies to help strengthen her too small lungs and weak immune system. So far, the doctor's efforts had taken effect. The blonde was as healthy as she had ever been.

"Yeah, it's hard not to notice when she's actually running around being the kid she never got to be. Remember how she used to stare out the window all day watching those neighborhood kids play? It was sad to see. I hated having to keep her inside when winter rolled around."

"Oh, I know! It damn-near broke my heart when she had pleaded for me to take her to the playground that one time. Of course I couldn't considering that that was one of the coldest winters I've ever experienced, even to this day. Well, I'm just glad she's doing so much better now. I couldn't have thanked Shizuru enough."

The steady rhythm the two girls had created was suddenly interrupted when Natsuki's ministrations ceased. "Oh? You two are on a first name basis now? When did that happen?"

Nao was startled at the disgust clearly written on her sibling's face. "What's your problem? Shizuru gave me permission to use her first name since I told her to call me Nao."

"You shouldn't get too attached," Natsuki sneered. "It's only a matter of time before she shows her true colors. She's a no good Nazi who won't hesitate to shoot us down for her precious Hitler. She's just like the rest of them. What makes you think she's any different? You're just a stupid girl who's filled her head with these silly ideas that _Obersturmführer _Viola actually gives a shit about us. We're Jews! She hates everything about us!"

Nao stood up abruptly at the insult and glared at Natsuki before toppling the water-filled tub in a fit of rage. She turned on her heel before stalking away, her long strides eating up the ground, not caring about the disorder she left behind for her sister to clean.

"Bitch," Nao muttered as she slammed the screen door.

She had always had an idea that Natsuki harbored a deep dislike toward the tawny-haired Nazi but today proved that that dislike had morphed into full-blown hatred. Nao just couldn't understand how her eldest sibling could discard everything that Shizuru had done for them. There had been countless times as she would watch the beautiful solider reach out to Natsuki in an effort to establish a friendship, but each time had been shot down by her resentful sister.

And frankly, it was beginning to piss her off.

Shizuru had shown nothing but kindness to the three Kruger's and Natsuki repaid her by being cold and distant; most of the time not even bothering to hide her dislike.

As Nao continued to fume over their earlier argument, she loudly stomped into the kitchen. All her initial anger drained from her body when two heads looked up at her sudden entrance. She was stopped in her tracks at the sight of Shizuru sitting at the kitchen table with another SS officer. The red-haired Jew regarded the stranger with wariness. It was something about his wild eyes that set off various alarms in her head. Nao instantly lowered her eyes and bowed at the waist as she hid her still-soapy hands behind her back. Even as she straightened up, her eyes remained glued to the floor. Without even looking, Nao knew she was being scrutinized. She could feel that the man's lingering stare never left her as he spoke to Shizuru.

"Ah, what do we have here? Really, _Frau_ Viola, you shouldn't take such good care of this…" he paused as if in thought. "_Filth_."

Nao quietly seethed at the SS solider. She had to forcefully fight down the urge to throttle this cocky bastard.

"I assure you _Obersturmführer _Lecter, Jews are much more useful to me when they are feed properly," Shizuru calmly replied from over the rim of her mug. From the smell in the kitchen, Nao knew immediately that it was tea.

"Oh, Viola, you are far too kind." Finally Nao could feel that uneasy stare break away from her and focus on Shizuru. "But I would never dream of faulting you for that. Why, you saved a dear friend of mine from total bankruptcy at the cost of his own misfortune."

Shizuru hummed her assent while taking another sip from her mug. "It was my pleasure. Herr Geoff certainly didn't deserve that particular hardship. Besides, I appreciated his cause and his area of expertise."

Nao half-heartedly listened to the flowing conversation. She wished that Shizuru would hurry up and dismiss her. It would be considered very unmaid-like if she were to leave the room without her 'master's' consent. This was just a very well played act after all. Only when Shizuru was in the presence of others, was she required to assume the role of faithful servant. Nao understood completely and didn't bother fighting against the unwanted role. It was what kept her alive.

"Well I am grateful that that same kindness extends to myself as well. It was certainly a pleasant surprise when you opened your home enough to accommodate me for the night. Your quarters is so much more aesthetically pleasing than those grotesque barracks I would have had no choice but to stay in," Nao couldn't detect not an ounce of said gratitude and when she risked a glance at Shizuru, she noted that her face gave nothing away. If the Jew had to guess, she'd say that this SS officer had most likely imposed on _Frau_ Viola and invited himself. By his first impression, Nao wouldn't but it beyond this overly proud and unbearable man.

"Then I will have Nao here to show you to your room."

When Nao heard the sound of chairs being pushed back from the table, she bowed deeply at the waist once again. She watched as a pair of shiny boots stepped into her line of vision. Being careful not to make eye contact, she turned on her heel and lead the way to one of the few unoccupied guestrooms. She could hear the loud footfalls behind her and had to fight down the uncomfortable feeling that stirred in her chest. It was something about having this man at her back that caused her entire body to tense as if to flee at any given moment. When they rounded the staircase, she could practically feel him breathing down her neck in quick, sporadic puffs. When they finally arrived at the door where _Obersturmführer _Lecter would be staying the night, Nao felt intense relief. She would just wish him a good night and leave him to his own devices and, hopefully, never see this SS officer again.

She gave a third bow of the day before calmly stating, "Have a goodnight, sir, and enjoy your stay."

She turned to leave when a heavy hand fell upon her shoulder and gave a fierce tug. Before her mind could even comprehend what was happening, she was flung to the bedroom floor. She heard the slam of the door before an enormous weight settled on top of her. A rough hand painfully forced her face against the floor and a terrible ripping sound filled her ears. It took her a moment before she realized the sound was her dress being shredded at the seams. Fear seized her as full comprehension regarding her situation dawned upon her.

She was going to be raped.

A malicious chuckle assaulted her ears causing Nao's eyes to squeeze shut. She trembled as putrid breath ghosted across the side of her face. "I will definitely be enjoying my stay. Thank you."

More fabric was split and Nao could feel the rush of cool air touch her naked thighs. Large hands violated her with their presence on bare skin and she barely managed to scream before being abruptly cut off by a crushing blow to her temple. She saw white.

"You know," She barely managed to hear over the ringing in her ears. "For a dirty Jew, you should do well."

Anger and desperation momentarily overcame her fear. Nao struggled to fight but _Obersturmführer _Lecter easily overpowered her with his size. She gasped for air as the monster above her pressed down upon her using his weight. "I'll have none of that," Lecter hissed as he thrust his hips against her. She could feel the length of him straining against his trousers.

A whimper escaped from Nao when the unmistakable sound of a zipper being drawn down reached her ears. Even with the difficulty of drawing breath, she managed to fill her lungs enough to let out a cry of desperation that was mostly muffled by the large hand that had been placed over her mouth.

* * *

Natsuki had rarely felt so guilty. As soon as Nao stalked away after their argument, she knew she had been in the wrong this time. She had unintentionally allowed her hatred against Viola to leak out and affect her conversation with Nao. So when her sister had left, she dwelled in the silence alone and finished wringing water from clothes before hanging them out to dry. Her thoughts raced and guilt slowly began to eat away at her conscience.

'_I really should go and apologize to her. I was way out of line,'_ Natsuki thought and she was fully prepared to do just that when another notion made itself know.

Her line of thinking rapidly changed at the idea that even her argument with Nao was Viola's fault. If it wasn't for that Nazi woman, they would have never had that argument in the first place. Viola definitely couldn't be trusted. Natsuki was sure the _Obersturmführer _had an ulterior motive and that this was all just some sick act to play with their minds before being thrown into a gas chamber once they dropped their guards.

'_No,' _a reasoning voice rang out over her inner monologue. '_You've still managed to hurt Nao. It's your fault that you allowed your anger to be taken out on her. You need to fix this.'_

Natsuki let out an audible sigh as her anger quickly diminished. She winced as she pushed up to her feet; the motion jarring her injury. She slowly made her way into the house after replacing the metal tub on the porch and thought about how she could apologize to Nao. She made her way down to the basement, figuring that her red-haired sibling would retreat to her bed in order to nurse her wounds. The large room was mostly empty considering that around this time, the maids would be doing various chores elsewhere on Viola's property.

Natsuki noticed that Nao's bed appeared to have been left untouched since this morning. She briefly considered asking around for her sister's whereabouts. '_There's no need. She couldn't have gone far.'_

With that in mind, the raven-haired girl took up her search elsewhere. She had just made it past the kitchen when she caught a glimpse of stark blonde hair heading into the dining room.

"Alyssa," she called out as she heading after her younger sibling. Her advance halted in an instant when she noticed the room's other occupant. Their eyes immediately sought each other and Natsuki was once again caught off guard by the intensity in those crimson orbs. A curious feeling was crashing around in her gut that she had yet to identify but dismissed it. She summed it up to her immense dislike.

Snatching her eyes from the Nazi sitting at the table, Natsuki turned her attention toward her sister who was currently studying her with a cute tilt of the head.

"What?" Natsuki cringed at the harshness in her voice but Alyssa just continued to stare as if she hadn't noticed it.

"Why are you blushing?" Alyssa asked. Her nose was crinkled as if she was trying to solve one of those complex puzzles that Mama would bring home from the library on occasion.

"What?" was Natsuki's ingenious response.

"You're blushing."

"No I'm not," she responded even as she lifted her hand and felt the warmth gathering on her face. Emeralds involuntarily darted to those red orbs once again. The amused smile she saw tugging at Viola's lips was enough to deepen the color dramatically. She scowled as she changed the subject, "Whatever. I'm looking for Nao."

"Ara," Natsuki narrowed her eyes at the insufferable sound that always began any speech _Frau_ Viola partook in. It was like a bad one-liner that initiated an atrocious screenplay. "She just directed a guest of mine to his quarters. You just missed her."

"Which guestroom? I need to talk to her."

"The first room on the second landing," was the immediate reply.

Natsuki didn't even bother to say goodbye as she spun on her heel and left Viola's line of sight. Those probing eyes and melodious voice unnerved her. She found it difficult to think clearly and her emotions would get so tangled up in each other that she couldn't understand what she was feeling. She never allowed herself to look too deeply into what she felt. She wasn't too sure she'd like what she'd find.

The raven-haired Jew took the stairs with caution like always. It irked her that something as simple as walking up and down stairs caused her pain. Once she arrived at the mahogany door of the guestroom, she figured Nao was most-likely inside helping with some last minute duties for Viola's visitor. With that in mind, Natsuki settled back against the wall across from the door and waited.

'_I really hope she accepts my apology. I'd hate to have to drag this o—,' _That thought was cut off by a sort of muffled shout. Natsuki didn't even allow herself to think as she lunged toward the door before throwing it open with such force that the door handle slammed against the wall with a loud bang. The sight before her made her sick with rage. The man above Nao had barely managed to look up in surprise when Natsuki flung herself at the man; throwing as many punches and kicks as she could get in while letting out a howl full of fury.

The man was successfully knocked off of her sister and he threw up his arms to protect himself from the fierce blows being aimed toward his face. _Obersturmführer _Lecter bucked her off of him using his legs. The two each rolled to their feet. They faced each other for a few moments before Natsuki moved to throw another fist. The SS officer ducked the swing before lifting his leg up and slamming the boot of his heel right into her abdomen. Natsuki was thrown backwards from the force, her shoulder crashing into the floor length mirror along the far wall. The raven-haired girl slumped to the floor in a heap of agony. She cried out when a steel-toed boot kicked her in the chest hard enough to knock the air from her lungs. Natsuki curled into a fetal position as the beating continued.

Abruptly, the blows ceased. Natsuki slowly opened her eyes and saw _Frau_ Viola standing in the doorway with Nao hiding behind her and a deadly glare marring the usually beautiful face. It was in that moment that Natsuki was grateful that that lethal look wasn't aimed at her.

"Viola! You will not believe what this Jew just did," _Obersturmführer _Lecter explained while shifting uncomfortably under Viola's gaze. "She attacked me! Now, you should just take this bitch out into the yard and shoot—"

"_Herr_ Lecter," Shizuru affectively cut him off in a sickly sweet voice that compromised the facial expression. She looked ready to kill. "I suggest you choose your next words very wisely."

"Why are you sticking up for theses Jews?" the SS officer roared. "This one just attacked me in your own house and you do not see the problem with this? I daresay, Viola, you have just committed a crime against the state by taking up and sheltering this trash! You are no better than those other filthy Jew-lovers and I will see to it personally that you be thrown into the gas chambers!"

Natsuki lifted her head enough to see the smug expression on Lecter's face. She couldn't believe her ears. This man would throw a fellow officer into a gas chamber? Did Nazis' really have no heart? Even when it came to their own? She turned to examine Viola and was completely shocked by her reaction to _Obersturmführer _Lecter's words.

The tawny-haired officer simply laughed. It was cruel and held no real mirth but it was enough to have Natsuki tremble with fear. _Herr_ Lecter must have had the same reaction considering the look occupying his features.

"You would be unwise to do so," Shizuru stated flippantly. "I know all about you _Obersturmführer _Lecter and you have just made a powerful enemy. I'm not stupid enough to figure out that you come into my house, try to rape a member of my staff, attack another, and then threaten me in my own home. Oh yes, I believe you have just made a grave mistake and I don't bluff when I say I know _all_ about you. And that includes your mother."

At the mention of his mother, Lecter's eyes became as round as saucers and he appeared to visibly shrink under Viola's piercing gaze as she continued. "As I'm sure you are aware, _Obersturmführer _Lecter, that being directly related to a Jew has its own consequences. Maybe we can both be thrown into those gas chambers together. It would be a fitting end, don't you think?"

"Y-you wouldn't," _Herr _Lecter stuttered but the look he received from the woman before him erased all doubts.

Viola gave a frightening smirk when Lecter turned ghostly pale. "I certainly would." Then those full lips thinned into a straight line before parting and saying, "_Now leave."_

_Obersturmführer _Lecter appeared as if he couldn't get out of the house fast enough and the way he ran, his tail tucked between his legs, as he maneuvered around Shizuru and out the door. Natsuki knew without a doubt that the SS officer wouldn't talk. The raven-haired girl turned her eyes back to Viola and watched those hard eyes and firm features melt into compassion as she dropped to her knees beside her. Nao immediately followed suit and buried her tear-streaked face into her shoulder. The red head clung to her elder sister with a desperate need and Natsuki immediately wrapped her up in a warm embrace. The tawny-haired solider watched the exchange before she tenderly reached out to touch Natsuki's aching abdomen before thinking better of it and quickly pulling her hand back. Natsuki felt a rush of guilt remember that just last week she had reacted violently when Shizuru had touched her shoulder when trying to jest with her.

She quickly unwrapped one of her arms from around Nao and reached out to clasp Viola's hand. The hurt look in those crimson eyes faded with surprise at the unexpected touch.

"Thank you," Natsuki stated with genuine gratitude. "Thank you."

A small smile tugged at the corners of Viola's lips as those red orbs turned warm with kindness once again.

* * *

**Okay, so before anyone shoots me after demanding where the hell I've been, I must apologize. Let's just sum it up to me being an evil bitch who is out to ruin your lives by depriving you from your daily Shiznat dosage. But now you don't have to worry too much any more since I'll be updating this story regularly and the credit must all go to my good friend Hollowed-Words who, unfortunately, became my evil sidekick when she wasn't looking. Eh, I'm sure it's cool though since I didn't hear much complaining. **

**I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'm aware that everyone will probably have to reread the entire story now just so they'll know what the hell is going on. I will also apologize if my writing style changed in this chapter. It's just been so damn long.**

**Oh, and Review please. It will really make my day and my updates faster. :-)**

**-BlueIV**


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